Summertime festival of fun

Chris Posey entertains at the 2018 June Fling. The Kidz Fun Zone will move to the 100 block this year. -Facebook | Oneonta Business Association

Featuring classic cars, Kidz Fun Zone, special entertainment, the sixth annual Singing Showdown, and more than 110 booths, June Fling 2019 will kick off on Friday, May 31, at 6 p.m., with the preliminary round of the 18-year-and-older competitors and a performance by INtheRED featuring Skylar Wallace at 8 p.m. It will also be a time to enjoy free hot dogs, along with other concessions. Seating will be limited, so you are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.

Things really swing into high gear beginning at 9 a.m., on Saturday, June 1, when 12 hours of nothing but fun will fill downtown’s First Avenue. Vendors will be set up. The stage will host numerous events such as music, a fashion show, and cloggers. Star Wars characters will roam the entire venue. Food trucks will be dishing out all kinds of cuisine. Local shop owners will be open for business with sales and special offers for the 18th annual event.

Thanks to Main Street Family Urgent Care, this year’s Fling will have an expanded kids area that will be located on the 100 block near SwampTails. A 32-foot video game truck will offer a supervised and free opportunity for 28 players at once to enjoy time-limited games. Crossing Paths Animal Rescue and the Oneonta Varsity Cheerleaders will host an area with cute activities for children. An obstacle course sponsored by the Blount County Sheriff’s Office will provide other fun adventures.

And if that isn’t enough, the fun will continue with demonstrations by the Lil Ninjas, Shine Your Light Twirlers, a performance by the Community Arts Council of Blount County’s cast of Annie, face painting, and a free balloon artist, as well as Oneonta Fire and Rescue providing opportunities to get up close to a fire truck, take photos with Sparky, and get free smoke detectors for your home.

Parents will have a chance to catch their breath as the children experience the Kidz Fun Zone by enjoying the snack and sit area located in front of SwampTails. Oneonta Business Association co-chair Patti Williams said venue maps will be available at various locations throughout the Fling and encourages everyone to come out and spend the day enjoying the beautiful weather and supporting this family-oriented event.

For more information and a detailed list of booths, visit the Oneonta Business Association Facebook page or their website atwww.oneontabusinessassociation.com. An activity schedule can be found in the advertisement on page A9.